Psychological Explanations Forget Freud Cognitive Explanations Personality and

Cognitive Explanations • HOW we think – Kholberg’s stages of moral devleopment • Pre-conventional,

Cognitive II • What we think – Rationalizations, “Pro-criminal Attitudes, ” “Criminal Thinking Errors”

Policy Implications • “Cognitive Behavioral” therapy is the best technology for rehabilitation – Recent

Personality and Crime • General Personality Traits – MMPI: Bias and Tautology • Newest

Personality II • The “Psychopath” – Hervy Cleckly • Above average intelligence, lying, leeching

IQ and Crime—A brief History • Alfred Binet – Series of tasks to identify

IQ and crime • As intelligence tests improve, IQ gap shrinks – Sociologists: it

Barkan’s Critique • Use of small/non-representative samples • Disregard of “structural factors, ” and

Normal and Abnormal • Do psychologists view offenders as “abnormal? ” – Not necessarily

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Psychological Explanations Forget Freud Cognitive Explanations Personality and Crime IQ and Crime

Cognitive Explanations • HOW we think – Kholberg’s stages of moral devleopment • Pre-conventional, post-conventional – Social Skills • Anger management • Basic skills

Cognitive II • What we think – Rationalizations, “Pro-criminal Attitudes, ” “Criminal Thinking Errors” • Prompts for criminal behavior • Negative Reinforcement

Policy Implications • “Cognitive Behavioral” therapy is the best technology for rehabilitation – Recent study: such programs, when targeting the correct people reduce recidivism anywhere from 10 -60% – Barkan: doesn’t address “structural factors” • But, should we ignore immediate, individual factors?

Personality and Crime • General Personality Traits – MMPI: Bias and Tautology • Newest Test: MPQ – Three Superfactors • • Constraint Negative Emotionality Positive Emotionality CASPI and friends research – Next Step?

Personality II • The “Psychopath” – Hervy Cleckly • Above average intelligence, lying, leeching behavior, lack of remorse, inability to love, impulsive, risk seeking, superficial charm… – Robert Hare’s “Pscyopathy Checklist” (PCL) • Structured Interview tapping these characteristics • Interesting Studies comparing “Psycho” inmates to “non-psycho” inmates – Treatment implications

IQ and Crime—A brief History • Alfred Binet – Series of tasks to identify “learning disabilities” (IQ) – 3 Cardinal Rules • Scores are practical devices • Not for ranking “normal children” • Use to help, not label children – Goddard and others violate all

IQ and crime • As intelligence tests improve, IQ gap shrinks – Sociologists: it will eventually disappear – BUT—it hasn’t (8 -10 point gap, weak effect) • Why related? – Spurious? (evidence against this) – Direct? – Indirect • School Failure • Delinquent Peers • Impulsivity

Barkan’s Critique • Use of small/non-representative samples • Disregard of “structural factors, ” and cannot account for “group differences” – Psychologists not answering macro questions • Causal order remains unclear • Focus on street crimes

Normal and Abnormal • Do psychologists view offenders as “abnormal? ” – Not necessarily (general personality, moral development) • Zimbardo • Milgram – Irony is that evidence from psychologists are used to criticize psychology